Many containers, holding a variety of materials, are often used under circumstances where access to a utensil for removing, using or consuming the contained material is limited. Accordingly, a number of containers are available which are in some manner attached to or packaged with a utensil for use by the consumer. Additionally, certain contained materials may be harmful to utensils owned by or available to the consumer. Under such circumstances it is advantageous for a utensil compatible with the contained material to be supplied with the container. Finally, products that include a utensil that may be disposed of with the container after use of the contained material may be more attractive to the consumer, since no clean up or maintenance of the utensil is required.
The prior art discloses a number of containers with lids that in some fashion incorporate a utensil. U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,875 to Stanish discloses a utensil frictionally held to the inside of a container lid. However, the Stanish utensil can only be as long as the container lid is wide, and has no distinct handle area. The contained material would likely come into contact with the consumer during use of such a utensil. U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,988 to Burke discloses a utensil which forms an integral part of a lid, with the lid itself serving as a handle for the utensil. Burke also suffers from limitations on the length and function of the utensil. Additionally, the lid/handle would likely come into contact with the contained material during use, necessitating cleanup or premature disposal of the container and lid.
It is the principal object of this invention to provide a lid for a container, incorporating both a utensil and handle, which allows for convenient removal, use, or consumption of the contained material. Another object of this invention is the provision of a lid with utensil and handle which has a flat upper surface such that container may be easily stacked. Other objects of this invention include the provision of a lid with utensil and handle which may be used without risk of the user unintentionally coming into contact with the contained material, which may be reused numerous times without the need for cleanup or maintenance of the lid, utensil or handle, and which is durable, easy to manufacture and inexpensive.